in touch, went 3rd approaching 4 out, outpaced next, rallied before next, upsides last, soon led and quickened clear
chased leaders, mistake and weakened 13th, tailed off
took keen hold, went prominent 6th, tracked leader 9th until weakened before 4 out, well behind when pulled up before 2 out
tracked leader, led 3rd, hit 13th and next, narrowly headed 2 out, no extra last
held up, smooth headway to track leader before 4 out, led narrowly 2 out, strongly pressed last, soon headed, not pace of winner flat
led to 3rd, chased leader to 9th, lost place and dropped to last when mistake 12th, well behind when pulled up before 3 out
A strange contest here with four of the six runners out of the field, and preference is for Almizan ahead of El Batal. Six pounds separates El Batal and Almizan, with the former rated the better horse. However he has littered his performances over fences with mistakes and he got rid of Charlie Huxley last time out at this track. Mattie Batchelor tries his hand on him today but the feeling is that he may be vulnerable to Almizan. If the market speaks in his favour then stakes can be doubled, as the stable are shrewd and he strikes as a horse who is attractively handicapped now. Of those out of the handicap, it may be Gem Mill who rates the main dander. Allison Thorpe does well with her horses and we may not have seen the best of him yet. Earcomesannie needs to bounce back to form, and so we will return to Almizan as the selection.
El Batal (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Held up, headway to chase leaders 9th, left disputing 5 lengths 2nd when blundered and unseated rider 2 out in race won by Walton Way (10-13) at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Apr, 13 ran.
Almizan (IRE) 16-1 (10-8) Mid-division, mistake 4th, blundered 7th, behind from next, tailed off, 7th of 11, well behind Kew Jumper (11-2) at Lingfield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Mar.
Gem Mill (IRE) 100-1 (11-5) Mid-division until lost place 4th, soon tailed off, 6th of 7, well behind Working Title (11-5) at Fakenham 2m nh nov hdl (4) gs in Jan.
Willow Hall 66-1 (10-2) In touch, ridden, weakened approaching 10th, 6th of 14, well behind Pitful Tercah (11-3) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl (5) gd in Jan.
Earcomesannie (IRE) 8-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, weakened from 4 out, 8th of 17, 26l behind Charlies Double (11-3) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-88 (5) gs in Feb.
Shikoku Lass (IRE) 33-1 (9-9) Mid-division, hit 8th and 9th, struggling when pulled up at the 11th in race won by Jim Bobs Girl (10-13) at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp chs (5) gs, 12 ran.
